6.8
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $200
- Average Mileage:
- 45,100 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 18 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replaced battery (11 reports)
- not sure (7 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Subaru dealer.
2nd Time this has happened. Went to drive my car yesterday (5/11). Car is completely dead. Drove fine on 5/10. Battery replaced by dealership in Jan 2020. Dealership had the car back in March 2022 when this happened and never figured out what was wrong. Having towed again today to dealership.
- Paige T., Herndon, VA, US
click to see larger images
This was the second occurrence of the battery going completely dead within 4 years of purchasing the new Subaru Outback. Repair shop replaced battery for me at no charge since I had already replaced it 2 years prior and the battery was still under warranty. Clearly the Subaru has a problem with the car constantly draining the battery. It has most recently occurred a third time.
- 2bamillerbm, Bethesda, US
click to see larger images
The battery has now gone dead 3 times over the course of 6 years of ownership - once every 2 years, like clockwork. I have had to replace the battery twice. The third time just occurred yesterday and I have not yet had a chance to have my repair shop evaluate whether it can simply be recharged, or must be replaced yet again. The car is garage-kept and does not undergo any unusual usage. Accessories are not left on that might explain the problem. It is pretty clear that there is a problem with many model years (including 2015) of this car with unexplained draining of the batteries. It had happened with many other owners, as I discovered with a quick online search.
- 2bamillerbm, Bethesda, US
A major nuisance, and an expensive repair including battery and ECM software update NOT covered by warranty.
- Arthur W., The Villages, FL, US
Replaced under warranty but it did not cover my time and effort.
- Arthur W., The Villages, FL, US
Ok, third time the battery has gone completely dead within 6 years, i.e. the car kills the battery every 2 years. No unusual usage, no accessories left on, garage-kept. This just happened yesterday and after receiving a jump start, I have now purchased a battery charger at a cost of $110 to see if perhaps this will keep the battery working. Have not yet had a chance to have this battery tested at a shop to determine whether it will reliably hold a charge.
- 2bamillerbm, Bethesda, US
After driving the car for roughly 3 weeks fairly regular (every day or 2 days), the car did not start again. I called AAA again and they checked the battery capacity. They charged it and I took it back to the dealer.
The dealer could not find anything wrong even after keeping it for a few days. They also found the battery looked OK but recommended replacing it to eliminate it as a source of the issue.
I replaced the battery.
- Annette W., Sunnyvale, CA, US
My car did not start and I called AAA. They found that the battery was dead and charged it. Upon charging the battery started up right away.
I took it to the dealer to check it out since the battery was only about 18 month old.
The dealer checked the battery and found it was charging fine. They suggested a light might have been left on and even though it was just over night it should be fine.
They did not think I needed to replace the battery.
- Annette W., Sunnyvale, CA, US
I have taken the car into the Fairfield CA Subaru Dealership and they stated they gave me a free new battery, they had not because the newer battery I installed (which went dead) was still in the car. I have the paperwork to prove they did not change the battery. Then they stated they charged up my battery and all was good. The car has had to be jumped 3x now and the battery is only 6-8 months old. This is the third battery since I have owned the car. Subaru dealership never told me there was a technical bulletin on the issue and not sure they did the upgrade.
I'm a woman and now can not trust that my car will start when I go to it after shopping etc... or worse, at night out in the public. Then to find out from another friend who has an Outback that she has had battery problems with her 2016 Outback and when I googled battery problems with Subaru Outbacks, I find there is / was a class action lawsuit against Subaru...
Why are they not investigating this more and fixing the electrical problem/draw from the battery? I despise dishonesty... very disappointed.
- kwink, Vacaville, US
The Subaru was purchased new. After three years, the battery was showing signs of weakness. I put a maintenance charger on it to keep it charged. When I complained to the dealer, they told me the battery and charging system was good.
The battery started dying regularly after short trips before it was four years old. Get out the charger again and again. Good for awhile. Then my spouse calls me at work late at night 25 miles away in town. The battery is dead. Drove there to jump start it, got it started.
Took it back to the dealer. NOW there was a problem with the battery. So they happily charged me $221 to put in a "better" 30-month free replacement battery. Never had a battery go bad in that short of time. It was babied.
Now I keep a desulfating maintenance charger on it 24/7 when not driving it. Yes, a pain in the ass in the time it takes and the expense, but we can not afford another dead battery far away. Never had this problem with any other car in more than 50 years of car owenership.
- Mike J., Dripping Springs, US
I noticed it hesitant to start yesterday. Completely dead this morning. On the charger, waiting to see what happens next.
- third wheel, Salem, US
Drove the car till yesterday evening around 6 PM with no problems at all. Never a starting trouble too (like having to try twice or anything like that).
Did NOT leave any lights on. Car was locked properly (and does not have fob).
Today morning, the dashboard lights all came up, but the battery light was on. Thought may have left some light on. Checked everything, nothing.
Jump started the car with a portable battery pack. Was expecting the battery to charge after 30 mins. But even after driving for 45 mins, the car did not start later.
Taking it to workshop tomorrow.
Update from Oct 8, 2018: Jim Pattison Subaru Coquitlam, BC quoted me CA$259 to replace the battery with 3 years warranty!
The battery (group 25) is one of the rare ones. BCAA (AAA) said they don't carry it. Was searching for replacement battery for 3 days.
Finally found it (with higher CCA) at Edmonds Batteries in Surrey, BC. With taxes and installation they charged CA$156. Also 3 years full replacement warranty + another 3 years pro rated.
- Viraj K., Surrey, BC, Canada
I’ve never personally owned a new vehicle where the battery failed in less than 3 years. The OEM battery in the vehicle was manufactured by Johnson Controls, JIS Type: 55D23R, BCI Group: 25, CCA: 356.
The replacement battery, from Interstate, has a CCA of 550 and is a rated 600 battery.
The old battery tested bad with the recommendation to “replace†by two separate facilities where I had it checked out. In other words, the battery was working one day and, the next, not only failed and required a jumper cable to start but also tested bad.
One would think the OEM battery should last a bit longer than 34 months. The car is garaged and weather in the Northwest is hardly what I’d call “cold†most of the year.
- Joel N., Kingston, WA, US
Car was parked in a heated garage with key off and removed. Suspect the parasitic draw caused by computer memory (ecm,dcm and radio) to exceed acceptable limits. Battery was drained down too low for my charger detect any voltage at all and could not be charged. Local Subaru dealer sold a new direct replacement and the car is being watched closely for further error.
- Eric D., De Ruyter, NY, US
Just purchased my first Subaru - - a new Outback Limited March 2015. First winter when the outside temperature dropped to freezing and below my Outback would not start. On one occasion I left inside vanity light on so this one time it was my fault. Thereafter, I was very careful to never leave lights on yet, the car still would not start on several occasions when the temps dropped to freezing. I took the car to the dealership where I purchased the car and they found nothing wrong. They told me I was not starting and driving my car enough and advised me to start car and drive it more often. My 20 year old Toyota Camry NEVER had this problem and I drove it the same short trips to store and around town. When I told the dealership this I was told to just take the long way back home from the store!!!!!! Following year I got a recall notice that addressed the problem. Three relays were were replaced. The description of the recall stated "Under certain extreme cold weather conditions, after the engine is shut off, ice crystals may form inside the relays which may temporary prevent you from re-starting the vehicle". After the relays were replaced per the recall I had no more problems starting the Outback the following severe winter.
- katinahat, Longview, WA, US
accessories stay on with key turned off and removed
Car battery drained even though I had turned off key. Had to buy wrench to disconnect battery every time I parked for more than an hour or so.
- Edward C., Novato, CA, US
accessories stay on with key turned off and removed
Was out in wilderness camping. Luckily I had a wrench to disconnect battery or battery would have been drained. 2nd time this has happened
- Edward C., Novato, CA, US
It has a dead battery first happened in July 1999. since then, it happened couple times each year. I replaced the battery last year, two months later the battery is dead again. I brought it back to auto shop that they replaced the battery. Now the battery dead happened every week. I have to use a battery jumper to jump the car.
- Eric Y., Morton Grove, IL, US